A multi-adaptable melt electrowriting system and method of using the same

Abstract

A melt electrowriting (MEW) system includes an MEW device configured to print a material on a collector. The MEW device includes a print head configured to melt and extrude the material out from an extruder. The extruder is exchangeable depending on a surface profile of the collector. The MEW device includes a positioning system configured to coordinate movements of the collector relative to the print head. The MEW system is configured to print the material with at least four mechanical degrees of freedom and up to six mechanical degrees of freedom.

1 . A melt electrowriting (MEW) system, comprising:
 an MEW device configured to print a material on a collector, wherein the MEW device comprises:
 a print head configured to melt and extrude the material out from an extruder, wherein the extruder is exchangeable depending on a surface profile of the collector; and 
 a positioning system configured to coordinate movements of the collector relative to the print head, wherein the MEW system is configured to print the material with at least four mechanical degrees of freedom and up to six mechanical degrees of freedom. 
   
     
     
         2 . The MEW system of  claim 1  comprising a trunnion mechanism integrated with the positioning system to enable rotations of the collector relative to the print head along a yaw axis and along a roll axis, or along a pitch axis and along the roll axis. 
     
     
         3 . The MEW system of  claim 2 , wherein the print head is integrated in a Z axis of the positioning system. 
     
     
         4 . The MEW system of  claim 2 , wherein the trunnion mechanism is integrated in a XY axis of the positioning system. 
     
     
         5 . The MEW system of  claim 1  comprising a six-axis collaborative robot coupled to the print head or the collector to move the print head and the collector relative to each other with up to six mechanical degrees of freedom. 
     
     
         6 . The MEW system of  claim 1 , wherein the extruder is exchangeable between a flat extruder configured to print on a flat surface profile and a conical extruder configured to print on a curved surface profile. 
     
     
         7 . The MEW system of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning system is configured to maintain an orthogonal print head-collector relationship with out-of-plane collector surfaces. 
     
     
         8 . The MEW system of  claim 1 , wherein the print head comprises:
 a syringe with a needle configured to contain the material;   a heating chamber configured to receive the syringe and the needle and provide heat to the syringe and the needle via cartridge heaters; and   a thermally insulative layer that wraps around the heating chamber.   
     
     
         9 . The MEW system of  claim 1  is configured to print the material on the collector with geometries of a lattice base for cornea, bifurcated vascular grafts, knee cartilage, or curved surfaces. 
     
     
         10 . The MEW system of  claim 1  is capable of printing on the collector of a curving tubular structure. 
     
     
         11 . The MEW system of  claim 1  is capable of printing on the collector of a non-circular cross-sectional tubular structure. 
     
     
         12 . The MEW system of  claim 1  is capable of printing on the collector of a bifurcating tubular structure. 
     
     
         13 . The MEW system of  claim 1  is capable of printing membranes with pore sizes as small as about 10 μm. 
     
     
         14 . A process of melt electrowriting (MEW) on a collector using a MEW system comprising a print head configured to melt and extrude a material out from an extruder, and a positioning system configured to coordinate movements of the collector relative to the print head, wherein the process comprises:
 swapping a flat extruder with a conical extruder and printing on out-of-plane collector surfaces; and   maintaining an orthogonal print head-collector relationship with the out-of-plane collector surfaces during printing.   
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14  comprises rotating the print head relative to the collector along a yaw axis and along a roll axis, or along a pitch axis and along the roll axis during printing using a trunnion mechanism integrated with the positioning system. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 14  comprises moving the print head or the collector relative to each other with up to six mechanical degrees of freedom during printing using a six-axis collaborative robot coupled to the print head. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 14  comprises printing on the collector of a curving tubular structure. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 14  comprises printing on the collector of a non-circular cross-sectional tubular structure. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 14  comprises printing on the collector of a bifurcating tubular structure. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 14  comprises printing on the collector with geometries of a lattice base for curving organ surfaces comprising bifurcated vascular grafts, knee cartilage, and/or other curved surfaces.